The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-21


know. | feel as il we're q clairvoyantt
or something OF the sort, for ever
since the robbery, whenever hay,
been at all unwell, my nightmare ha
beer about those diamonds and the
river. heaf the rushing OF the water
quite plainly" she went on dreamlly.
unconsciously dropping iIto the ole
tone her companion remembered Sc
well. 81 wonder why it is"
al suppose it is because you really
hid the diamonds under the bank o.
Langley Water" was the startlinga an
swer.
~ hid the diamonds! What on
earth do you mean? You must be
mad, Col. lie MarchantP
"No, am not. | saw you do it,"
he replied quitely.
"You saw me do It'll Then why to
goodness did you not say so at the
timer"
because | was mad then, Cecil, and
made horrible mistake"
"You thought stole tbe diamondsY"
He was silent.
"Then that was lNrM were Sc
keen about that e. .l'Fh lady's
maid?"
He nodded.
"You believed-ohr. land we're trying
TO screen me all the time!"
"Forgive me, Cecil"
"But do you mean that you actual
~ saw me take the diamonds" She
asked in wonder. "Please tell mel"
Colonel LIE Merchant stopped over
the book of prints Miss Clifford was
ostensibly examining, and answered
in q low voice: 81 had sat up late in
the smoking.room, worrying over
some money troubles, when, startled
to find how late it was, was retreat
ing as silently as l could to my
Quarters. AS | was passing along
the bedroom passage suddenly saw
you in your dressing-gown come out
OF Lady Langley's room carrying &
tin box. Instinctively drew back be-
hind the curtain OF the staircase win
dow, and you walked by without no.
tYcing me. followed you softly You
went to that little side door in the
garden by the drawing room, about
which young Lovatt had chaifed Lang
ley so much, unfastened it, and went
out right across the lawn toward the
river. Then to my horror you went
over the bank till felt certain you
would slip in, and was just rushing
up to catch you when yos scrambled
oack-without the box! You return
ed as you came, by the little door
Through which / followed YOU, and
regained your room. was too utter
ly taken back to speak to you, for the
idea that you were sleep-walking new
err struck me till just now. Next morn
Ing when the robbery was discovered,
/ remembered the box you had car
ried, and then the recollection OF that
tin case you and Lady Langley had
spoken OF the previous night flashed
across my mind"
"But did you ever 60 back to look at
the placer" eyes, that very day; but
thought felt certain that | was on
the exact spot, | could find nothing.
This confirmed my suspicious that
you had an accomplice, for | watched
you closely enought to know that
you had not again visited the river.
So you can imagine my feelings when
found you, as | thought, trying to
fix the crime on Mrs. Crompton's
maid"
Good heavens? Then that was
what you meant that last day when
you made me so angry. Well, con-
fusion for confusion, Col. LIE March
ant. You saw me, as you thought,
steal the diamonds. For my part,
judging from your agitation at the
time, and your energy in defending
that poor girl, grew convinced that
YOU knew more oil the robbery than
you should have done, and actually
believed that your subsequent kind
ness to her was simply remorse for
having let her be suspected OF what
you had only too good reason to
know her innocent"
what u chapter OF acciden tsp
said Col. LIE Marchant, slowly. "f
only We had spoken out at the timel
can hardly complain OF your doubt,
but yet think you should have known
me better"
you doubted me, Denisl"
"But | saw you'll"
Miss Clifford smiled.
Still sheltered by the portfolio which
they were both apparently interested
in, Colonel lie Marchant caught his
companions hand and whispered
"Let by cones be bygones, Cecil, and
set one mistake against the other.
They have lost us years of happiness
already"
Though their tete.a-tete was inter
rupted by their hostess, Miss Clifford
must have found means OF answering
the appeal, for before the week was
out all the world and his wife were
discussing the impending marriage OF
Cnlonel e Marchant and the hiiherto